At Sanfelino, we’ve always believed that true luxury travel is about depth, not labels. It’s about feeling a place rather than simply visiting it, ideally without being herded into matching outfits or handed a laminated schedule. So after launching our tennis retreat and witnessing first‑hand how much travellers are craving purpose‑driven journeys, one question naturally followed:
Why not wellness, but done properly?
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Not your typical wellness retreat
Our wellness retreat doesn’t look like the ones you scroll past on Instagram – you know the ones: sunrise yoga, identical smoothies, and captions about “alignment” written from a sun lounger. There are no matching linen sets, no influencer-led schedules, no generic resort backdrops, and no all‑inclusive buffets pretending to be “clean eating”.
That’s because Sanfelino isn’t a retreat company. We’re a concierge agency. Our focus isn’t on predefined schedules, but on crafting experiences that adapt to the client, not the other way around.
And that distinction changes everything.
Instead of designing retreats that require big groups, fixed dates, or a resort setting to function, we build bespoke wellness journeys around the individual. Every element is curated with intention, from where you stay to how you move, eat, rest, and explore.
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Speak With Our Wellness Specialist
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From concept to experience
In November, we quietly launched our first Sanfelino Wellness Retreat in Cartagena, and recruited a very brave first guest to proof-test the concept. Consider them our wellness guinea pig (a title they wore impressively).
We originally presented her with our wellness experience much as it appears on our website: balanced, intentional, and thoughtfully paced between city and coast. But very quickly, she asked for something slightly different.
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Check Out Our Sample Itinerary
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Less exclusivity. More city. Fewer beach days.
Which, once we learned she was from the Bahamas, made complete sense.
This is exactly where our concierge approach comes into its own. Rather than insisting on a preset version of “wellness,” we adjusted. The retreat shifted organically toward Cartagena itself, its rhythm, its streets, its culture, with wellness woven through daily experiences, rather than imposed on top.
That meant discovering Colombia’s coffee culture through a guided tasting, learning why it remains one of the country’s proudest exports. It meant stepping into a kitchen to explore the diversity of Colombian cuisine, understanding food as heritage as much as nourishment. And it meant exploring the city by bicycle, because sometimes history is best absorbed while moving.
Marco’s local connections, as ever, did not disappoint. One standout moment was a day at a beach club on Tierra Bomba Island, a rare sanctuary tucked between Cartagena’s famously noisy beaches. It struck the perfect balance: relaxed without being exclusive, spiritual without being performative.
There were detoxifying drinks (the kind you actually want to drink), fire rituals, and moments of ancestral connection through meditation and yoga, all grounded in nature, all unforced. It went down a treat.
Wellness, for us, isn’t confined to a yoga mat or limited to how flexible you feel before breakfast.
Another unexpected highlight came during what was, technically, unprogrammed time.
Left to her own devices one afternoon, our guest set off into the city in search of something very un-retreat-like: a hairdresser. This perfectly ordinary mission led, via a few conversations and local recommendations, to her connecting with a tattoo artist, and leaving Cartagena with fresh ink and a very good story.
For us, this moment mattered more than any perfectly curated session. It signalled something deeper: a level of comfort and confidence in a city she had never visited before. The kind where you trust the people you meet, follow small curiosities, and allow plans to evolve (even when you’re navigating a second language).
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What Does Wellness Mean To You?
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Immersion over isolation
Many wellness retreats isolate guests from their destination. We do the opposite. No wristbands, no gates, and absolutely no pretending Cartagena doesn’t exist outside the spa.
We believe wellness is enhanced when you are connected to your surroundings, to people, to stories, to yourself. Cartagena offers this beautifully: its Afro‑Caribbean roots, music, colour, coastal energy, and warmth create an atmosphere that can’t be replicated inside a resort gate.
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Begin Planning Your Journey Now
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A shift in how we travel
What we’ve learned from both our tennis and wellness retreats is simple: travel trends have changed. And our guinea pig confirmed it.
People no longer want to just tick off sights. They want to engage, to learn, to move their bodies with purpose, to rest deeply, and to return home feeling different – clearer, lighter, more connected.
Our wellness retreats are designed for travellers who value discretion, flexibility, and authenticity, and who don’t need a group WhatsApp chat to have a meaningful experience. For those who want their journey to reflect them, not a template.
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What comes next
Sanfelino Wellness Retreats will continue to evolve, intimate by design, tailored by necessity, and grounded in the places they unfold. Sometimes wellness will be the focus; at other times, it will simply sit within a wider journey. In both cases, the intention remains the same: experiences that feel personal, immersive, and thoughtfully constructed.
Is This How You Want To Travel?
